Darby Field

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Darby Field (1610 - 1649) was the first European to climb Mount Washington in New Hampshire. Field was likely born in Boston, England of Irish parents. He emigrated to the town of Exeter in the Province of New Hampshire during the 1630s. Field's ascent of Mount Washington, in 1642, was recorded by Gov. John Winthrop of Massachusetts in his journal.

"One Darby Field, an Irishman, living about Piscat, being accompanied with two Indians, went to the top of the White Hill. He made his journey in eighteen days. His relation at his return was, that it was about 160 miles from Saco, that after 40 miles travel, he did for the most part ascend; and within 12 miles of the top, was neither tree nor grass, but low savins, which they went upon the top of sometimes, but a continual ascent upon rocks, on a ridge between two vallies filled with snow, out of which came two branches of the Saco River, which met at the foot of the hill where was an Indian town of some 200 people. Some of them accompanied him within 8 miles of the top, but durst go no further, telling him that no Indian ever dared to go higher, and that he would die if he went. So they staid there till his return, and his two Indians took courage by his example and went with him. They went divers times through the thick clouds for a good space, and within 4 miles of the top, they had no clouds but very cold. By the way among the rocks, there were two ponds, one a blackish water, and the other reddish. The top of all was plain, about 60 feet square. On the north side was such a precipice as they could scarcely discern the bottom. They had neither cloud nor wind on the top, and moderate heat. All the country about him seemed a level, except here and there a hill rising above the rest, and far beneath them. He saw to the north, a great water which he judged to be 100 miles broad, but could see no land beyond it. The sea by Saco seemed as if it had been within 20 miles. He saw also a sea to the eastward which he judged to be the gulph of Canada; he saw some great waters in parts to the westward, which he judged to be the great lake Canada river comes out of. He found there much Muscovy glass, they could rive out pieces 40 feet long, and 7 or 8 broad. When he came back to the Indians, he found them drying themselves by the fire, for they had a great tempest of wind and rain. About a month after, he went again with five or six of his company, then they had some wind on the top, and some clouds above them, which hid the sun. They brought some stones which they supposed had been diamonds, but they were most Chrystal." [Winthrop’s Journal, p. 247]

Though Darby Field was not accurate in the estimated distances, and the distant bodies of water were not the St. Lawrence River or the Gulf of St. Lawrence, his description of the top of Mount Washington was quite accurate. Field's feat would be repeated only a handful of times over the next 150 years.

Darby Field and his wife Agnes would have five children before his death in 1649 at Dover, New Hampshire. Mount Field in the Willey Range of the White Mountains is named in his honor.

[edit] Sources

• Passaconaway's Realm by Russell M. Lawson, University Press of New England, Hanover NH 2002.